Autolib, Paris' younger brother of the Velib

A sustainable transport system is a system of choices – quite the opposite in many ways of the old all-car no-choice model that all too often spends most of its time in taking up scarce space but not moving. With this very much in view, the City of Paris has just stepped up to the plate and is now in the process of bringing into service what they propose will be a new link in the chain of sustainable transport options: a carsharing system not quite like any other. No less than three thousand cars to come on line in shared service in just nine months – and electric cars at that – working out of 1000 to 1200 stations spotted over not only the central city but a number of surrounding communities as well. The biggest and most daring carshare bet of all time.  In World Streets you will find a machine translation of an article prepared   by Sylvain Marty, director of the much-awaited Autolib’ program at the City of Paris. (The full original text is available in French here.) Autolib’ is a seductive idea, whose oldest historical antecedent was the excellent Witkar project of the mid seventies in Amsterdam which even today looks like a great try. Read on in World Streets.

Autolib’ – Paris bets big on new carshare technology

A sustainable transport system is a system of choices – quite the opposite in many ways of the old all-car no-choice model that all too often spends most of its time in taking up scarce space but not moving. With this very much in view, the City of Paris has just stepped up to the plate and is now in the process of bringing into service what they propose will be a new link in the chain of sustainable transport options: a carsharing system not quite like any other. No less than three thousand cars to come on line in shared service in just nine months – and electric cars at that – working out of 1000 to 1200 stations spotted over not only the central city but a number of surrounding communities as well. The biggest and most daring carshare bet of all time.  In World Streets you will find a machine translation of an article prepared   by Sylvain Marty, director of the much-awaited Autolib’ program at the City of Paris. (The full original text is available in French here.) Autolib’ is a seductive idea, whose oldest historical antecedent was the excellent Witkar project of the mid seventies in Amsterdam which even today looks like a great try.

Bicycle culture in Portland and Amsterdam

In Peter Pelzers study the central question is: How can bicycle culture in Portland and Amsterdam be understood and explained? Understanding bicycle culture from a spatially conscious perspective necessitates bridging two paradigms. The first research question is: How can bicycle culture be conceptualized? The resulting answer to this question will then be related to two cases under scrutiny in his study. This is reflected in the second research question: How can bicycle culture in Portland and Amsterdam be described and understood? An important assumption in this study, on which he elaborates in Chapter 3, is that a bicycle culture cannot be addressed as a static phenomenon, but is historically shaped. This results in the third research question: How have historical pathways shaped the bicycle culture in Portland and Amsterdam? The insights resulting are the input for the fourth research question, which attempts to grasp relatively universal processes with regards to the way in which a bicycle culture emerges and its internal causal relations. What are the causal mechanisms that constitute a bicycle culture? A type of study Velo Mondial promotes and hopes we will see more of.

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Utrecht starts 4D Planning

In the CIVITAS MIMOSA project the city of Utrecht is set to start using an innovative 4D-planning software to help smooth traffic congestion arising from the re-construction of the Central Railway Station area - benefiting the city, its citizens and the project developers. In the next ten years, the central railway station area in Utrecht will be reconstructed to dramatically improve the infrastructure. This revamp will involve increased construction work traffic and have a knock-on effect on the construction project progress and other city centre traffic. Within CIVITAS MIMOSA, Utrecht is implementing a co-ordinated approach to minimise the disturbance of the urban transport system and the polluting emissions. It will also concentrate on reducing the waiting times for vehicles unloading at construction sites and the amount of storage space needed at the construction site. Peaks in demand or in construction work traffic can be levelled out during the day with the new 4-D planning tool. The 4-D planning software is the latest trick up Utrecht’s sleeve, following the Construction Logistics Plan and the set-up of a Construction Logistics Centre near the central station. Read on here.

Münster became Germany’s bicycle capital?

With a proportion of 37.6% the bicycle is the prevailing transport mode in Münster. Nearly half a million bicycles in comparison to 280,000 inhabitants requires a specific focus on the demands of cyclists. Today the city of Münster provides a high standard of infrastructure and safety for cycling. In contrast, 10 years ago Münster’s road safety was very poor. 50% of all traffic-injured were cyclists. Therefore local politicians decided to elaborate a new policy “Vision Zero” meeting the particular needs of the vulnerable bicyclists and equally considering the failures and limited capacity of humans. With the introduction of “Vision Zero” an elimination of road causalities was targeted. Further, a high standard in road safety, mutual consideration and compliance with traffic laws became the basics of Münster’s new policies in mobility. To combat non-compliance with right-of-ways and red traffic lights, the main reasons for accidents, Münster implemented new transport infrastructure and intensified traffic regulation and monitoring. Read on at the SUTP website.

America's Amsterdam?

It’s become a cliché that Portland is America’s most livable city, a hotbed of innovations when it comes to green policies, public spaces, pedestrian amenities, transit, public spaces, and, of course, bicycles. In fact some people are growing weary (and the rest of us envious) of hearing about how great things are in Oregon’s largest city. But clichés often turn out to be true. After spending several days exploring Portland as part of a Bikes Belong Foundation-sponsored transportation workshop for city officials from across the country, I must admit that Portland offers a wealth of inspiration and practical tips for how we can make our towns more bikeable, vital and fun. Yet, as the delegation of transportation leaders from Chicago, Houston, Seattle, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City discovered while biking across the city, Portland is no Ecotopia. Local bikers still contend with roaring traffic on crowded streets and motorists who park illegally in bike lanes or honk for no apparent reason. Jay Walljasper, who also visited Amsterdam recently with Bikes Belong is author of the forthcoming book All That We Share. Read what he wrote about the visit to Portland.